“……Is that also a magical device from the Hellers Tower?”

When Bellota quietly asked, Seiden just looked at her silently. It was an affirmative response. Bellota swallowed a sigh, seeming worried and disapproving.

While the mages of Hellers Tower weren’t dark mages, they were similar in nature if one had to compare. They considered magic as truth to be the highest value and would stop at nothing to pursue it. They wouldn’t hesitate to commit any crime if it was related to magic.

Bellota knew that the solution used in judging the hunting festival was also manufactured at Hellers Tower. Besides the magic towers, only Hellers Tower could perform magic of that level. Not to mention, it was a deception magic strong enough to fool a high priest like Felton. Such rare magical devices could only be obtained from them.

While their skills were undoubtable, Bellota worried about Seiden becoming too close to them.

“For the mages of Hellers Tower, magic is always the highest value. For that, they wouldn’t hesitate to betray anyone.”

Seiden looked intently at Bellota, whose gentle voice was filled with concern. He also understood well what that statement meant. However, Bellota didn’t know what kind of contract Seiden and Yevar had made. Having made a blood contract, Yevar could never betray him.

But because he enjoyed hearing Bellota’s voice worrying about him, Seiden chose not to share that fact.

“I’ll be careful.”

He only gave such an obedient answer. It was such a hypocritical face that if Yevar had seen it, he would have been utterly flabbergasted. However, since Bellota wasn’t Yevar, she didn’t know how to see through Seiden’s gentle pretense, and finally reached out her hand to take the ring he offered. It meant she would grant Seiden’s wish to go to the festival together tonight.

When Bellota tried to pick up the ring in Seiden’s hand, she couldn’t because Seiden suddenly pulled his hand holding the ring slightly back. Instead of simply handing over the ring, Seiden gently caught Bellota’s hand. Then he stepped closer and personally slipped the ring onto her finger as she froze in surprise.

“……”

Bellota’s heart stopped at that sudden action. She held her breath and watched as the thin silver ring was slipped onto her fourth finger. Once the ring adjusted itself to fit her slender finger perfectly, only then did Seiden’s hand slowly fall away.

Seiden lifted his head to look at Bellota, who had become close enough that he could see everything in her clear eyes. The sound of Felton picking mint could be heard from far away.

“It would be best to leave after the afternoon mass.”

His low voice sounded so close that Bellota could only meet Seiden’s eyes without even nodding.

“I’ll wait in front of the back gate.”

After finishing his words, Seiden waited for Bellota’s response. Only then did Bellota slowly nod. Finally satisfied, Seiden gazed at her deeply once more before turning away.

Only after Seiden’s figure had completely disappeared did Bellota look down at her hand again. As she was about to tentatively touch the ring embedded with a mysterious water-colored gem, Felton, who had finished picking herbs, passed by her and suddenly stopped to look around. Bellota unconsciously hid her left hand with the ring behind her back and tensely watched Felton.

“Did the Saintess leave……”

Muttering questioningly, Felton soon discovered Bellota standing nearby and greeted her with a somewhat embarrassed smile.

“Good morning, Sister.”

He seemed to regard Bellota as just an unfamiliar believer. When Bellota bewilderedly bowed her head in greeting, Felton turned away without hesitation and walked off. Only after Felton had disappeared did the garden regain its usual serenity.

“Ah……”

Bellota let out a belated exclamation at the surprisingly clear effect.

* * *

After making the evening appointment with Seiden, Bellota had the strange experience of being completely unaware of how the day passed. Amidst her busy schedule, the only thing floating in Bellota’s mind was her appointment with him. Time was wasted trying to erase those thoughts, and soon it was the appointed time.

After finishing the afternoon mass, Bellota put Seiden’s ring back on her ring finger, and still feeling uneasy, she put on her robe and headed to the back gate. She encountered several priests and believers along the way, but none of them recognized her. Thanks to this, Bellota safely arrived at the back gate and met again with Seiden, who had surely been waiting for her for some time.

A white carriage was waiting behind Seiden. Bellota nervously looked at the coachman, but he too showed no interest in her, merely yawning while looking at the horse’s back.

Seeing Bellota wrapped in her robe, Seiden seemed to guess her intention and smiled slightly, causing Bellota’s face to heat up.

“Just in case.”

When Bellota added embarrassedly, Seiden raised his eyebrows and tilted his head gently.

“I didn’t say anything.”

At that teasing response, Bellota’s face reddened and she pressed her lips together, making Seiden bow his head and laugh. Then he quickly climbed onto the carriage and smoothly extended his hand to her.

Bellota looked at his hand with a face that showed faint concern about whether going out with Seiden was the right thing to do until the end. Soon, a deep breath like someone who had decided to break the rules escaped between Bellota’s lips. When she finally grasped the large hand extended to her, Seiden pulled her up as if she were light as a feather.

The carriage carrying the two quickly moved away from the Grand Temple and arrived at streets filled with brilliant festival energy. Getting off the carriage while holding his hand just as when she got on, Bellota carefully stood next to Seiden and looked around at the unfamiliar street scene.

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t that Bellota had never been to the festival that was held for a week every three years, however, Bellota had only attended official events held at the temple, so the only scenery she could see was the daytime festival.

Of course, she had been to small festivals held in her hometown very long ago, but she couldn’t take in such vibrant scenery then because she couldn’t see.

The night festival was surprisingly different from the daytime festival. The night air is filled with sweet and fragrant scents, and people’s lively eyes contain excitement and happiness different from the day. Bellota too was thrilled by the beautiful scenery where flowers blooming and sparkling everywhere and magical lights floated adorning every street.

“……”

Seiden quietly watched Bellota as she was captivated by the brilliant sight. He knew better than anyone that during her 7 years as a saintess, Bellota had never been given such time of freedom.

Just then, when a large man tried to rudely brush past her side, Seiden quickly wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. When a startled Bellota tensed up and shrunk her shoulders, Seiden whispered slowly.

“There are a lot of people.”

Bellota agreed with Seiden’s words. People kept surging past them, making it impossible for her to leave Seiden’s embrace. Bellota had little experience walking through such crowds. Knowing this well, Seiden skillfully protected Bellota while asking in a low voice.

“I heard they’re selling books at the 13th shopping street, shall we go there?”

“Books?”

Sure enough, Bellota immediately responded and looked up at Seiden with curious eyes. Though they were close enough to feel each other’s breath, now Bellota’s eyes held only interest in the books, making him swallow his laughter inside.

“They say they’re books imported from Paltan.”

Paltan was a foreign country far from Rundhardt, known for its many sages and extensive knowledge about various healing arts and ancient curses. Since Bellota had long been interested in Paltan’s scholarship, there was no reason to refuse Seiden’s suggestion.

“I want to see them.”

So Seiden and Bellota headed to the 13th shopping street. There, Bellota spent quite some time browsing books before carefully selecting and purchasing a couple of books.

“Look here, can you see how the cover is about to fall off? Precious secrets tend to be hidden in old books like this. I’m glad we came to the festival. Books this worn rarely circulate to the temple. Maybe there’s even a way to resolve the hive curse without using herbs in here. Many of the curses that occurred in Paltan were related to hives.”

When Bellota excitedly whispered after finding a book so old its cover was about to fall off, Seiden struggled to hold back his rising smile while taking in every bit of this precious sight.

“I see.”

But it was still a failure. Bellota’s face quickly reddened when she noticed the meaningful smile lingering on Seiden’s face as he looked at her.

“Don’t laugh. I’m only buying this.”

Seiden just nodded and, following Bellota’s order, continued to hold back the smile that kept trying to escape.

Besides books, there was much to see in the festival streets, so the two looked at mysterious birds sold at street stalls, ate long bread sprinkled with foreign spices and meat grilled on braziers, while walking through the brilliant streets. Among them, the most enjoyable place was where they held an event giving unique prizes for successfully hitting moving fake birds with toy bows.